Harmony Senior Thesis Exhibition

By Broadside Asst. Style Editor Nicole Ocran
Photo by Broadside Photography Editor Courtney Erland

Every graduating senior in the AVT program at Mason is required to exhibit their pieces, whether inside a gallery or displayed throughout campus. “Harmony,” the senior thesis exhibition, comprised of seniors Andrew Day, Joseph Petty and Michelle Rudd, held their opening reception last Monday in the JC 123 Gallery.

The reception drew a crowd of over 40 people, some stopping by to show their support for the artists, some stopping by for class and some to simply enjoy the food and champagne provided.

Day’s exhibit, entitled “Last Time We Spoke, We Were Dying,” contained two sets of three photographs: each set seeming to gradually fade before the viewers’ eyes.

In his artist statement, Day described his intention to “show exterior and interior growth, or death – aging.”

However, Day also explained that “it’s just kind of the way my mind chose to portray the cliché ‘we’re dying since the day that we’re born.’ I think with my images, my imagery and even with my thesis and my subject, it’s not really about death. It’s more about living. It just so happens that as we’re living, we’re continually kind of deteriorating.”
Day feels that the arts education he received at Mason has been significant.

“I’ve gotten a really well-rounded education in the arts in general,” Day said. “Sculpting, graphic design, drawing, painting, photography of course, and within photography I can utilize [these mediums].”

After graduation, Day plans to move to the Outer Banks and live on the beach, while continuing freelance photography.
Petty’s 6 x 6 wall canvas display in between the works of both Day and Rudd “has to do with process and materials,” according to Petty’s artist statement, in which he “[tries] to define what painting is to [him],” and combine both of his interests in painting and sculpture.

“If it was not for the support of the faculty, especially Paula Crawford, I would not have been so successful,” Petty said. “They introduced me to new concepts and allowed me to be free to express my ideas.”

Petty is certain that his training in the AVT program has been nothing but beneficial to him, however, he feels that he still has a lot of growing left to do.

“In my time here, I have learned about the art world and the history of art more than becoming an artist,” Petty said, “Though I have learned to express myself more in my work and to experiment with new ideas.”

In the future, Petty hopes to become an exhibition specialist for the Smithsonian.

“Golden Point in Time,” the exhibit by Rudd, integrated gold leaf and spray paint in contrast to the classic format of modern portraiture. Rudd was also responsible for the title of the exhibit as a whole, “Harmony,” according to Day.
“I think the more that we started interacting as artists and as the show came together, it kind of made more and more sense,” Day said. “I think there are elements of all of our work that kind of play off of each other and relate and overlap.”

AVT seniors will have their projects on display in the 123 Gallery until April 25.